Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention administrator addresses the Pachyderm Club Friday

By Brian Hauswirth
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Violence and crime in Columbia will be discussed in-detail Friday by Columbia’s new Office of Violence Prevention administrator.

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D’Markus Thomas-Brown is Columbia’s first Office of Violence Prevention administrator (2025 photo courtesy of Columbia’s Sydney Olsen)

D’Markus Thomas-Brown will speak at 11:30 this morning to the Columbia Pachyderm club at Dickey’s BBQ on Forum. Mr. Thomas-Brown has been appealing to the community for unity to stop violence. Five people were shot in three separate incidents across Columbia during one April weekend. Two people were shot downtown that weekend, just blocks from the police station. There’s been an arrest in that case. However, two others were shot that weekend at Cosmo park, and no arrests have been made in that case.

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CPD says multiple agencies responded to the April 12 double shooting at Cosmopolitan park, including Missouri state troopers, Boone County Sheriff’s deputies and Ashland police (April 12, 2025 photo courtesy of CPD’s Facebook page)

Thomas-Brown hopes his position can be instrumental in developing systemic change by empowering individuals and families. This morning’s presentation at Dickey’s is open to the public as well.